Representing animation artists, writers and technicians since 1952.

Why the Wage Survey Matters

When it comes time to negotiate your next contract, there are a lot of variables that go into determining how much you deserve to be paid: What is the average pay rate for your job title? Was your last job above or below the average? How does a non-union studio compare to the work and pay at union studios? If the studio is offering a freelance unit rate, are they expecting the work to be done in a reasonable amount of time?

Your employer is already armed with answers to many of these questions and more when you sit down at the negotiating table, and you should be too.

Although the Guild receives some reporting from union employers, the reporting does not always tell the full story and we receive no reporting from non-union employers.

That’s where the Animation Guild Wage Survey comes in.

By completing this anonymous, confidential survey, you and your fellow Guild members will be able to know what the job market actually looks like. Whether you’re an animator, model designer, sheet timer, writer, technical director, or anything in between, your input is vital to our collective success.

This survey also touches on a variety of topics that affect everyone in the animation industry, including:

Wages and Workloads
Employers are at their strongest when information about wages is kept secret among their employees. After all, if you don’t know how much your colleagues are making, then how can you know if you’re getting a fair rate?

The wage survey provides you with an anonymous and confidential way to share what you know about the industry for the betterment of the entire workforce. It also allows the Animation Guild to look at wage differences based on race, gender, age and experience, and provides an opportunity for members to let the Guild know about employers that are behaving unreasonably with regard to assigning and paying for freelance unit rate work.

Overtime
While studios do provide us with some information regarding covered work, the data is incomplete and it can be difficult to draw out conclusions. For some employment arrangements, like “on call”, we need your stories to better understand what is actually taking place.

Non-Union Work
While the Animation Guild doesn’t have jurisdiction over non-union studios, many Animation Guild members work for non-union studios from time to time, and discussing the working conditions there is just as important if we want a complete picture of the industry.

The Future of the Industry

There is no question that Hollywood is in a period of intense transformation. That is why the perspective of workers in the studios themselves is so important. By sharing your experiences and priorities, you can help shape the future of the Animation Guild, and by extension the industry as a whole.

As more members participate, the wage survey results become even more valuable. Your voice matters – we need you to take 10 minutes and fill it out. Will you help your fellow members?